Start ditching your debt today

There are a lot of reasons we go into debt. Read these tips to begin saying so long to yours.

So long, debt.

There are a lot of reasons we go into debt.

Maybe we want to buy a house. Or attend college. Or maybe we run up credit card bills.

Debt can be helpful. But too much debt can weigh you down and get in the way of your financial well-being.

To ditch debt, you can start today with these simple tips.

List out your debt.
It’s easier to see what kind of debt you have and what you are paying when you list out your debt. Some people like to list their debt starting from the highest interest rates to the lowest. Others like to list their debt starting from highest balances to the lowest. There’s no right way, just do whatever feels right for you.

Set up an emergency fund.
Prioritize setting up an emergency fund before you go full throttle on paying off your debt. An emergency fund is critical to help buffer unexpected, costly events - like getting laid off, or that flat tire that came out of nowhere. The idea here is that with an emergency fund in place you won’t have to put that surprise expense back on a credit card and erase your hard payoff work. The money will be there. And you won’t have to do the “two steps forward, one step back” dance.

Baby steps to saving more.
Oh boy, is it easier to set up a budget than to live by one. Trying to cut back on spending too much too soon can be frustrating. Saving money is all about taking small steps, one-step-at-a-time. To get started today, try this simple trick: “Cash only night out.” It’s easy. Just take only the cash you need to pay for that street fest, or night on the town - and dodge the surprise impulse purchases. Leave the credit cards behind.

Now that you’ve learned how to ditch some debt, check out “I’m terrible at saving” for some really simple tips on getting some cash in the bank for the stuff that always seems to pop up.